System and method for performing follow up based on user interactions

ABSTRACT

A system and method for follow up management comprising determining if a user has an unexpired repository record, extracting information from the repository record associated with the user; and acting on instructions stored in the repository record. The method is practiced on a system for managing online interaction comprising a business rules engine a follow up repository, and a follow up engine.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/716,535, filed Sep. 14, 2005, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/717,212, filed Sep. 15, 2005, the entirety of both are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to computer browsing and, more particularly, to providing an appropriate follow up based on the interaction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Networks, such as the Internet, have become an increasingly important part of our everyday lives. Millions of people now access the Internet on a daily basis to shop for goods and services and obtain information of interest.

The web is built on a very simple, but powerful premise. Much of the material on the web is formatted in a general, uniform format called HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) or the like, and all information requests and responses conform to a similarly standard protocol. When someone accesses a server on the Web, the user's Web browser will send an information request to a Web server. The Web server will respond to the request by transmitting the desired information to the user's computer. There, the user's browser will display the received information on the user's screen.

For example, suppose an individual wishes to purchase a printer via the Internet. The individual accesses the Internet and types in a vendor's uniform resource locator (URL). The individual may then access that vendor's home page to determine whether the vendor has the product that this individual wishes to purchase.

If the individual does not know which vendors sell printers, the individual may access a web site associated with a search engine. The individual enters the generic term “printer” into the search engine to attempt to locate a vendor that sells printers. Using a search engine in this manner to locate individual web sites that offer the desired product or service often results in a list of hundreds or even thousands of “hits,” where each hit may correspond to a web page that relates to the search term.

Once a user decides which web page to visit, the web page is formulated to interest the user. In particular, many web pages allow a user to customize the web pager so that each time the user visits the web page, the customized web page is presented to the user. One of the challenges of online interactions is providing customers or users with consistent online experience while using different channels such as website navigation, email, chat, bulletin boards, discussion forums, chat, and the like. For this uniform presentation, cookies are used.

Cookies are pieces of information generated by a web server and stored in the user's computer, for future access. Cookies are embedded in the http information flowing back and forth between the user's computer and the servers. Cookies allow user-side customization of web information. For example, cookies are used to personalize web search engines, to allow users to participate in WWW-wide contests, to store shopping lists of items a user has selected while browsing through a virtual shopping mall, and the like.

Essentially, cookies make use of user-specific information transmitted by the web server onto the user's computer so that the information might be available for later access by itself or other servers. Typically, the servers are part of the same domain. In most cases, not only does the storage of personal information into a cookie go unnoticed, so does access to it. Web servers automatically gain access to relevant cookies whenever the user establishes a connection to them, usually in the form of web requests.

For a server to use cookies, first the Web server creates a specific cookie, which is essentially a tagged string of text containing the user's preferences, and it transmits this cookie to the user's computer. The cookie is then stored in the user's computer. The user's web browser receives the cookie and stores it in a special file called a cookie list. This usually happens without any notification or user involvement. Next, the cookie is automatically transferred from the user's machine to a web server. Whenever a user directs the web browser to display a certain web page from the server from which it already has a cookie, the browser will, transmit the cookie containing the user's personal information to the web server.

There are many reasons a given site would wish to use cookies. These range from the ability to personalize information, help with on-line sales/services, or simply for the purposes of collecting demographic information. Cookies also provide programmers with a quick and convenient means of keeping site content fresh and relevant to the user's interests. The newest servers use cookies to help with back-end interaction as well, which can improve the utility of a site by being able to securely store any personal data that the user has shared with a site to help with quick logins, and the like.

Usually, a cookie contains more than simply a name and a value. In fact, a cookie can have 6 parameters: the name of the cookie, the value of the cookie, the expiration date of the cookie, the path the cookie is valid for, the domain the cookie is valid for, and the need for a secure connection to exist to use the cookie.

Two of these parameters are mandatory the cookie's name and its value. The other four can be set manually or automatically. Each parameter is separated by a semicolon when set explicitly. The name of a cookie and its value are set simply by pairing them together. The value of a cookie can also be null, for the purpose of clearing the cookie value.

The expiration parameter determines the lifetime of the cookie. For example, the cookie can state “expires=Mon, 01-Jan. 2001 00:00:00 GMT.” If “expires” is not set explicitly, the default expiration is the end-of-session. The length of a session can vary depending on browsers and servers, but generally a session is the length of time that the browser is open, even if the user is no longer at that site.

The path parameter sets the URL path within which the cookie is valid. Pages outside of that path cannot read or use the cookie. If Path is not set explicitly, then it defaults to the URL path of the document creating the cookie. The domain parameter takes the flexibility of the path parameter one step further. If a site uses multiple servers within a domain it is important to make the cookie accessible to pages on any of these servers. Generally, the server issuing the cookie is a member of the domain that it sets in the cookie. That is, a server called www.thisserver.com cannot typically set a cookie for the domain www.thatserver.com. If Domain is not set explicitly, then it defaults to the full domain of the document creating the cookie.

The last parameter is the secure parameter. The secure parameter is a flag indicating that a cookie should be used under secure server condition, such as SSL. Since most sites do not require secure connections, this parameter defaults to FALSE.

Often a consistent online experience requires the ability to recognize the customer or user across multiple interactions and recall, either in real-time or offline, the history of events and attributes associated with the customer or user. The recognition of customers or users, when applied to hundreds or thousands of online interactions a day, becomes a challenge, both from a business logic perspective and a technology perspective. Previous systems used business rules engines that parsed the activity of each visitor on the site. The activity was matched against a customized set of business rules. Once a selected rule was applied, an action that presents the site visitor with targeted content was triggered. Systems such as the LivePerson Sales Edition provided real time processing of business rules.

Traditionally, web systems that wanted to access history data about the visitor would access a database for each visitor to the site, only to find out that in most cases there is no meaningful information about the visitor that warrants a special treatment for that user. In the event that this visitor is new to the site, and therefore has no history, the database search wastes time and resources. Some systems can identify that the visitor is a new visitor, not having a site cookie, but would still access the database for all repeat visitors. For the repeat visitors, they would retrieve the history data, analyze it, and most times decide to offer the generic treatment.

In one prior art system, when the system identifies a user based on a previously stored cookie, the records associated with that user are pulled from memory and analyzed. The analysis is done when the user enters the website. Therefore, there is a delay between the user entering the website and when the appropriate action is taken after the system reviews the records and determines what to do based on those records. Alternatively, standard actions are taken for all users as they enter the site.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The unique aspects of the disclosed system and method are related to the technological challenges of allowing web-servers real-time access to the CRM system. Using the disclosed system, web servers are more effective and only access the relevant data for the relevant visitors. A system is disclosed to provide a consistent online experience to users or customers visiting a web site.

There are three major modules in the disclosed system:

1. Business Rules Engine

2. follow up Repository

3. follow up Engine

The first component is the business rules engine that processes, in real-time, the events associated with each customer and decides what business action is required. Business intelligence in the rules engine identifies whether a current visitor to the site requires follow up in a subsequent interaction. This information is stored together with what needs to be done, i.e., what follow up action has to be taken. In this manner, when a new visitor arrives on the site, a lookup is performed only if it is required. Moreover, the information stored in the previous session already indicates the action to be taken and reduces the need for additional real-time decision to be made.

There are at least three actions that can be taken, present (real-time) action, future follow up, and follow up on the user or customer's next visit. Preferably, future follow-ups are scheduled for a specific date and the follow-up channel is not the website. In one embodiment, a combination of actions are taken, i.e., present action with future follow up. The real-time action can include, but is not limited to presenting the user with a specific web page, presenting the user with a questionnaire, enabling a live chat, sending an event notification, and the like. The future follow up is by one or more of several communication methods such as outbound email, outbound phone, offline channel (mail), or the like. The phone follow up is an automated follow up, a live operator, or combination of the two and uses plain old telephone service (POTS) or voice over IP (VOIP).

The second component of the disclosed system is the follow up repository. The follow up repository is a data repository that associates visitor-identifying information with follow up content. In a preferred embodiment, the follow up repository is hosted on a database. The repository provides data management services controlling the size and aging of the stored data. In particular, items can be marked with an expiration date and size limits can be set. In one embodiment, the repository includes user contact information or links to where such information is stored. In another embodiment, follow up instructions are stored in the follow up repository.

The third component of the disclosed system is the follow up engine that is responsible for online and offline activities. The online activities include determining previous or outstanding follow up actions and establishing new follow up information and the offline activities include retrieving and acting on follow up instructions.

Specifically, when a visitor arrives at a website, the follow up engine detects whether the visitor has un-expired follow up information in the repository. When there is follow up information, the follow up engine retrieves the information and acts on it. In another embodiment, the follow up engine extracts information from the repository record and acts upon instructions stored in the repository record. When a visitor interacts with the website, the follow up engine determines whether to set or add follow up information to the visitor's follow up record. The follow up engine then determines the expiration date, if any, for that information. Depending on the follow up information, the expiration date can be as little as several hours (or less) or as long as one year (or more). In some situations, there may not be any expiration date. The follow up engine stores the expiration date of the visitor's follow up record on the visitor's cookie, thereby allowing the follow up engine to detect that the visitor has follow up information when the visitor returns to the website for a new visit. Using the follow up engine allows efficient determination of a website visitor's follow up information.

The follow up engine has offline functions in addition to the online functions when a user is visiting the web site. The follow up engine retrieves instructions and triggers follow up actions. In one embodiment, the follow up records stored in the follow up repository have a trigger date. The trigger date is the date a follow up action takes place. On the trigger date, the follow up engine pulls the follow up records and acts upon the instructions stored in the record. The actions the follow up engine can take include sending outbound email, initiating an outbound phone call (operator, automated, or a combination), initiating an offline channel activity (e.g. DM mailing), sending instructions to agents to take action, or the like.

The combination of these three components allows for an effective handling of large volumes of interactions required in today's online environment. The disclosed system and method addresses the challenge presented to website managers who are interested in accessing in real time the history of events and attributes associated with their customers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 System according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 represents a cookie used in the present system;

FIG. 3A represents the data stored in the database according to the present invention;

FIG. 3B represents content data;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the method of user interaction according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the method to store a record.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a system according to the present invention. As shown, a user 10 is connected to a web server 30 via the internet. The user 10 has additional means of communication such as a telephone 50, fax machine, cell phone, hand held computer, and the like. The web server 30 includes a database 22 which stores a plurality of web pages such as web page 20. Additionally, a module 32 is used for the application of business rules and follow up procedures. In one embodiment, module 32 is part of web server 30. In another embodiment, module 32 is housed in another computer. Module 32 accesses data from database 34. follow up records 36 are preferably stored in database 34. In one embodiment, module 32 also performs follow up functions. It should be noted that the functions of module 32 can be performed using separate modules. In one embodiment, the follow up function such as E-mail, voice-over IP, mail, and the like are routed through web server 30. In another embodiment, the follow up procedures or follow up activities are performed through another server or servers. Additionally, module 32 can cause DM mailings to be performed.

In operation, a user 10 requests a web page 20 from server 30. In the case in which user 10 has not previously requested web page 20, server 30 causes a cookie 12 (shown in FIG. 2) to be stored on the user's computer. Additionally, a follow up record 36 (shown in FIG. 3A) is created for user 10 and stored in database 34, based on the user's activity.

In the case that the user has previously accessed web page 20, the server 30 receives a cookie 12 from user 10. The cookie is processed by module 32. Module 32 determines whether the user 10 has previously stored unexpired follow up information 36 stored in database 34. In a preferred embodiment, module 32 includes a business rules engine, a follow up repository, and a follow up engine. In another embodiment, the business rules engine, follow-up repository, and follow-up engine are separate modules.

When there is follow up information 36, the module 32 retrieves the information and acts on it. In another embodiment, the follow up engine extracts information from the repository record and acts upon instructions stored in the repository record. The follow up information is used to modify the user experience. The user experience is modified by such items as chat, popups, setting system variables, setting display variables, opening a communication channel, opening an engagement channel, and the like.

The business rule engine processes, in real-time, the events associated with each user and decides what business action that is required. The business rule engine selects from one of at least three actions. If the business rule engine determines an immediate need, action is taken in real-time. If no immediate action has to be taken, follow up is scheduled for either a specific future date or upon the user's next visit. Specific actions to take include mail, both traditional and email, telephone follow up, fax, or the like. In one embodiment, the system can open a chat dialogue if the user is online using a chat agent. It should be noted that in all instances, the follow up is appropriate for the web page such as a follow up questionnaire regarding a technical problem, a replacement part being sent out if a defective component was reported, an E-mail reminder, follow-up based on the users behavior on the site, and the like. In some instances, no action is taken.

The business rules engine uses rules that are based on conditions and actions taken while a user is visiting a specified website. Certain conditions will result in specific actions being taken. The conditions include both the activities that a user that performs while on a page and the user's behavior while on a page. Rules provide a way to react to customer activity. Visitor rules customize the processing of visitors and/or people communicating via chat or another channel. In a preferred embodiment, rules are created within a specific context that determines the circumstances in which the rule will apply. The rules respond to conditions that exist. Conditions specify which actions will be triggered. It should be noted that multiple conditions can be specified or Boolean logic can be used. TABLE 1 Visitor Rules - Conditions Condition Rule Type Description Browsing Current Page clicks to chat The URL or title of the current page match the specified pattern. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Current Page clicks to chat The referring URL of the current page match the specified pattern. Referring URL enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Number of clicks to chat The number of pages visited during this session. Pages enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Referring URL clicks to chat Matches the referrer of the visitor's first visit to the site. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Search Engine clicks to chat The URL from which the visitor arrived is from a search engine. Found enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Search Engine clicks to chat The search engine from which the request came. Identity enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Survey Question clicks to chat Response to a question in a particular survey. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Visited Page clicks to chat The visitor visited a page whose URL or title matches the specified enters page pattern. enters site queued for chat leaves site Chat Available for clicks to chat Visitor is available for a chat invitation. Invitation enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Has Chat clicks to chat Visitor has chatted during the current session. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Has Chat clicks to chat The visitor requested to chat in a previous visit. History enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site In Chat clicks to chat The visitor is currently involved in a chat session with an operator. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site In Chat or clicks to chat The visitor is currently in a chat, or waiting for a chat to be established. Waiting for Chat enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site In or After Chat clicks to chat The visitor is currently in a chat, or has previously been in chat enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Invited to Chat clicks to chat The visitor has been invited to chat. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Refused Chat clicks to chat An invitation to chat been has sent to the visitor and the visitor refused enters page to chat. enters site queued for chat leaves site Miscellaneous Action Fired clicks to chat The action with the specified name has already fired during this session. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site At Least One clicks to chat The rule with the specified name has already been triggered during this Rule Triggered enters page session. enters site queued for chat leaves site Predictive enters page Triggers a predictive dialer with the specified settings. A Predictive Dialer enters site Dialer controls the number of invitations sent to site visitors. Random clicks to chat A random integer between 0 and the specified number. Number enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Rule Triggered clicks to chat The outcome with the specified rule has already been triggered during enters page this session. enters site queued for chat leaves site Operators Available clicks to chat At least one operator is online. (i.e., is the operator in the “online” state, Operators enters site not “away” or “back in 5”). leaves site Number of clicks to chat The Number of available operators available. Operators enters site Available leaves site Online clicks to chat Operators are currently in the “online” state. An operator that is “away” Operators enters site or “back in 5” is not considered online. leaves site Room Operators clicks to chat There is at least one operator of the skill specified online in the current Online enters site visitor's Room. leaves site Skill Operators clicks to chat There is at least one operator of the specified skill available. Available enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Skill Operators clicks to chat There is at least one operator of the specified skill online. Online enters site leaves site Time Functions Day of the clicks to chat The day of the week. Week enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Days Since Last clicks to chat The number of days since the last time this visitor has requested to chat. Click-to-Chat enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Days Since Last clicks to chat The number of days since the visitor's last visit to the site (fails if this is Visit enters page the first visit). enters site queued for chat leaves site Invitation clicks to chat The number of seconds for the visitor to be invited to chat. This History (cross enters page condition also checks the visitor's previous sessions. To check chat session) enters site invitations only in the current session use “Invited to Chat” or “Time Since queued for Last Invite” chat leaves site Invitation clicks to chat The number of seconds the Invitation to chat timed out. If the last Timeout enters page invitation did not timeout, the condition will always be false. enters site queued for chat leaves site Seconds in clicks to chat The number of seconds the visitor was on the current page. Current Page enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Seconds Since clicks to chat The number of seconds since the visitor was declined. Decline enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Seconds Since clicks to chat The number of seconds since the visitor last visited a page that matches Last Visit to enters page the specified pattern. Page enters site queued for chat leaves site Time In Site clicks to chat The time in seconds that the visitor spent in the site during this session. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Time of the Day clicks to chat The number of minutes elapsed since midnight, Eastern Standard Time, enters page today. enters site queued for chat leaves site Time Since clicks to chat The time in seconds since the specified action fired. Action Fired enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Time Since clicks to chat The time in seconds since the custom variable was modified. Custom Variable enters page Modified enters site queued for chat leaves site Time Since Last clicks to chat The time in seconds since the visitor's last invite. Invite enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Time Since Rule clicks to chat The time in seconds since the rule fired. Fired enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Wait Time clicks to chat The time in seconds that the visitor has been in the queue. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Variables All Values of clicks to chat Apply the comparison to All values of the specified Custom Variable. All Custom Variable enters page values must be Numeric and satisfy the comparison condition. enters site queued for chat leaves site At Least One clicks to chat The Custom Variable has at least one value that satisfies the comparison Numeric Value enters page condition. of Custom enters site Enter custom variable name in the first field, and number to match in Variable queued for the last field. chat leaves site At Least One clicks to chat The Custom Variable has at least one value that satisfies the comparison Value of Custom enters page condition. Variable enters site Enter custom variable name in the first field, and string to match in the queued for last field. chat leaves site Variables Custom Flag clicks to chat The custom flag variable satisfies the comparison condition. Variable enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Custom Variable clicks to chat The value of the Custom Variable that corresponds to the specified name enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Custom Variable clicks to chat A Custom Variable with the specified name has been set. Has Been Set enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Custom Variable clicks to chat There is a Custom Variable on the current page. on Current Page enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Numeric Custom clicks to chat Apply the comparison to All values of the specified Custom Variable. All Variable enters page values must be Numeric and satisfy the comparison condition. enters site queued for chat leaves site Numeric Values clicks to chat The numeric value of the Custom Variable with the specified name (fails of Custom enters page if Custom Variable has not occurred or the value is not numeric). Enter Variable enters site Custom Variable name in the first field, and number to match in the last queued for field. chat leaves site Visitor Properties Browser Type clicks to chat The visitor's browser matches the specified pattern. (User Agent) enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Hot Lead clicks to chat Visitor is specified as a hot lead. enters page enters site queued for chat IP clicks to chat The visitor's IP address or host-DNS matches the specified pattern. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Repeat Visit clicks to chat This visitor has been to the site before this session. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Skill clicks to chat The visitor's skill group. enters page enters site queued for chat leaves site Visitor Group clicks to chat The group number for this visitor, if all visitors are grouped into groups. enters page The site visitors are randomly segmented into the number of groups you enters site set in the 3rd parameter. You can then check to which specific group the queued for visitor has been assigned. chat leaves site

Conditions may include the type of page, section of a page or a specific URL, can trigger a specific condition. Additionally, if the user reaches a page via a hyperlink or by typing a URL, that condition may be monitored. The time a user spends on a specific page may also be a condition. For example, the system can monitor whether a user spends more or less than a specified time on a page or group of pages. Matching pages can also be in a condition as are negative conditions such as whether a user has been on a page, added items to a cart but taken no further action, or not gone to a checkout.

The rules also include variables which can be a value or an occurrence. For example, the value or occurrence may be a shopping cart total greater than a specified dollar amount or contain more or less than a specified amount/quantity. Further, other variables can include was there a transaction error (a yes or no variable). The system can also monitor at least such items as an occurrence of a specified event, entering a communication channel such as chat before or after a selection, days since chat, and the like. Further, other variables can be a new visitor, old visitor, user's IP address, and the like.

The user's IP address can be important for business reasons such as identifying a competitor and limiting access to that user. For example, if the website is a telecommunication company and a user logs on from a competitor company, access can be limited until that user signs in with a user name and password, thereby designating that that person is a customer. Likewise, this may happen in the banking community where a first bank will limit access to employees of a second bank unless they are customers of the first bank.

In a preferred embodiment, the follow up engine is responsible for both online and offline activities. When visitor arrives at the website, the follow up engine determines whether the visitor 10 has unexpired follow up information 36 in the repository 34. In those cases when there is information, the information 36 is retrieved and acted upon. Once the record 36 is retrieved, data is extracted from the repository record 36. The extracted data includes visitor ID, account ID, session ID, Ticket ID, follow up date, expiration date, recovery mode, and content.

When a visitor interacts with the website, the follow up engine determines whether to set or add follow up information to the user's follow up record 36 and determines the expiration date for that information. When the visitor interacts with the website, the follow up engine will store the expiration date of the visitor's follow up record 36 on the visitor's cookie 12. In this manner, when the user returns, the engine can efficiently detect that the visitor has follow up information 36.

Follow up records 36 in the database 34 may have a trigger date. On the trigger date, the record is retrieved and acted upon by the follow up engine. At that time the engine sending outbound email, initiates outbound phone calls, initiating an offline channel activity (e.g. DM mailing), sending instructions to agents to take action, or the like.

The follow up repository is a data repository. Preferably hosted on a database, that associates visitor-identifying information with follow up content. The repository provides data management services to control the size and aging of the stored items. In particular, items can be marked with expiration date and can have size limits.

FIG. 2 is representative of a cookie 12 created by server 30 and stored on user's 10 computer. The cookie preferably includes a visitor ID, a date the record was set, and a database record expiration date. Thus, when user 10 visits website 20, the cookie identifies the user as well as the date the cookie was created. Further, the cookie includes the date the record in database 34 expires. Thus, if user 10 returns to website 20 after the record 36 expires, there is no need to retrieve the follow up record. In this manner, resources are conserved. Due to the high volume of traffic hosted by a typical web server, if the web server had to retrieve a record for every user or, in the alternative, search its database every time a user enters the website, the resources available to the web server would be taxed.

FIG. 3 represents the data string stored in database 34 created by module 32. The record 36 is formed based from the actions of user 10 on web page 20. The record 36, as discussed above, includes the visitor ID which is the same ID stored in cookie 12. In addition to the visitor ID, the record 36 includes the user's account ID, if one exists for web page 20. If user 20 does not have an account on web page 20, in one embodiment, a provisional account number is assigned to user 10 that correlates with the visitor ID.

The session ID is an ID for the user's current login session. This session ID is a log that records the user's time on the site. For example, the session ID may represent a log entry signifying the time and date the user utilizes the website. Alternatively, the session ID may be no more than a counter indicating the number visitor the user is. The ticket ID is, in a preferred embodiment, a service ticket ID number. The service ticket number represents a service to be performed. For example, if a user requires a service call, the ticket ID would include the service ticket number for the repair man to visit the user's home, office, or the like.

Record 36 also includes a follow up date and an expiration date. These two dates work hand-in-hand to provide follow up to user 10. Based on the user's activity, a specific follow up activity or set of follow up activities are determined. However, these follow up activities are preferably only good until the expiration date in record 36. Once the expiration date is met, the follow up prescribed by the record is no longer valid. In one embodiment, the follow up engine uses the previously determined follow up activity as a starting point for any future follow ups.

The recovery mode is used to determine what action to take given certain error circumstances. For example, the recovery mode relates to how a system deals with internal inconsistencies. For example, if the cookie contains a record indicating that there should be follow-up if there is nothing in the database or, if the record states that there should be one record but in the database there are two records, the system must know how to deal with the internal inconsistency. A first way to deal with any inconsistency is not to fix anything or, to ignore the record. Alternatively, the system can try to fix the record on read or on write. Additionally, the system can self correct. For example, if there is more than one record, the most recent record will be used.

The content in the extracted data, shown in FIG. 3B, includes the follow-up activity. In other words, the content is what action will be taken upon follow-up. In a preferred embodiment, the content is an XML instruction. Potential content includes pop-up messages, slide shows, variables to be set relating to the users last visit, and the like. In one embodiment, the system monitors the follow up date in the record. When the follow up date is reached, the follow up action, if not through the web site, is taken such as a follow up call, email, letter, or the like.

As discussed above, when certain conditions occur, an action is triggered. Actions may contain subactions. In one embodiment, the actions are executed in a specific order. However, in another embodiment, the actions occur in random or non-specified order. A sample of actions based on rules and alerts are shown below in Table 2. TABLE 2 Visitor Rules - Actions Type Rule Type Action Parameters Description Operator Alerts clicks to chat Operator Alert Send an alert to operators concerning this enters page visitor. For a list of macros available in enters site Operator Alerts, refer to the LivePerson queued for Customer Center. chat Description Enter a brief description of the operator leaves site alert, if you so wish. browsing site HTML Use the HTML box to design your alert. Plain text can be used in this area, but HTML tagging will serve to make the alert more eye-catching. Chat Audit clicks to chat Email this Email Email a copy of the chat transcript to the enters site transcript Sender Name specified address. The email will arrive leaves site Sender Email from the specified sender. Set the subject Subject to help you identify the email. Forward Email Email a copy of the chat transcript to the transcript from Subject specified address. The email will arrive visitor email Email Custom from the email associated with the visitor. Variable You can optionally set the custom variable to be used to extract the visitor's email address (Email Custom Variable). Visitor clicks to chat Engage Visitor NA Send a proactive chat request to a visitor. Experience enters page Custom Engage <custom Engage visitor using custom image enters site Visitor directory> directory. The directory should not end leaves site with a “/”. browsing site Set Visitor <name of visitor Assign the session to a selected Visitor Profile profile> Profile. Enable/Disable Pre-Chat Survey Enable/Disable Pre-Chat survey status for Pre-Chat Survey the visitor during current session. Enable/Disable Exit Survey Enable/Disable the Exit survey status for Exit Survey the visitor during current session. Enable/Disable Operator Survey Enable/Disable the Operator survey status Operator Survey for the visitor during current session. Set Pre-Chat <name of Set specific Pre-Chat survey for the visitor survey prechat survey> during current session. Set Exit survey <name of exit Set specific Exit survey for visitor during survey> current session. Set Operator <name of Set specific Operator survey for visitor survey operator during current session. survey> Set Offline <name of Set specific Offline survey for the visitor survey offline survey> during current session. Set Chat <name of chat Set a specific Chat Window profile for the Window window> visitor during current session. Set System <name of Set specific System Messages set for the Messages system message visitor during the current session. set> enters page Show Popup <popup> Display a pop-up. New pop-ups are created in the Content Library. enters page Engage Visitor NA Send a proactive chat request to a visitor. enters page Custom Engage <custom Engage visitor using custom image Visitor directory> directory. The directory should not end with a “/”. enters page Show Warmup <popup> Use the Content Library tab to define new warmups. Variables clicks to chat Set Custom Variable Name Add a custom variable to the session. enters page Variable Variable Value enters site Set Custom Flag Flag Name Add an on/off custom variable to the queued for Variable State On session. chat <HelvBold>|Off leaves site Set Custom Variable name Add a custom variable to the session. This browsing site Variable —One Variable Vale action will only fire once per session. Time Only Routing queued for Assign to <Service Change the visitor's service queue. chat Service Queue Queue> Assign <Service Assign a percentage of visitors to a queue. Percentage to Queue> Use several of these outcomes together to Service Queue create a distribution plan for a group of visitors. Note that visitors will only be assigned if the queue is online for the Skill Group. Sales Edition click to chat Set Visitor as NA Visitor is defined as a hot lead. enters site Hot Lead queued for Increment <file location> Include specified words that can be viewed chat Reporting in the Conversion reports. Counters are browsing site Counter defined in Rules > Words > Report Counters. Set Visitor <segment Set the visitor Segment Segment name>

FIG. 4 depicts a flow chart according to the present invention. According to one embodiment of the present invention, in step 100, when a user visits a website, the web site server retrieves a cookie specific for that website, if any. In step 120, the system determines whether or not the user has follow up data stored in the system. If the user has follow up data on the system based on the cookie retrieved from the user. Such follow up data is retrieved from database 190 in step 130. The system then acts on the follow up data in step 140. The user's interaction on the site are evaluated in step 145 and, based on subsequent actions by the user on the given website, the follow up data is revised in step 150. The revised follow up data is then saved in database 190. Subsequent to the storage of any required follow up, at the appropriate time, the required future follow up action is taken in step 210. This follow up action can include a telephone call, an email, a facsimile, a mailing, or the like.

In those cases when the user does not have any active follow up actions or the follow up record is expired, the users actions are evaluated, and if required, a new follow up record is created in step 170. Subsequently, the new record is stored in database 190 in step 180. Then, based on the user's activity on the give web page, any additional follow up activity is revised and stored. Subsequently, any future follow up activity is performed in step 210.

It should be noted that, in the present system, database access is performed for only those visitors that warrant special treatment. In this manner, valuable resources are conserved because multiple database queries are not performed. Thus, multiple database look-ups are performed only for those users requiring special attention or specified interaction. The interaction is based on previous sessions already stored in the server's database. Thus, no real-time decisions are required for present user interactions.

In addition to the three modules discussed above, several other features can be used to improve system performance including caching, read buffering, and write buffering.

To efficiently utilize system resources, records are preferably not immediately written into the database. As shown in FIG. 5, after a user's session ends, the system waits one hour. In other embodiments, other amounts of time are used. After the one hour time limit, the system uses heuristics to predict whether the user will return within 24 hours. This prediction is based on the user's activities on the website and the like. If the system predicts that the user will not return within the next 24 hours, the record is immediately written to the database. If the system determines that it is likely that the user will return within the next 24 hours, the record is kept in memory. In a preferred embodiment, the record is kept in memory for 24 hours. After 24 hours, or another predetermined time period, the record is written to the database and the memory is cleared.

By maintaining the record in memory, valuable system resources are conserved because the system does not have to send the record to the database and write those records to the database. Thus, communication bandwidth as well as database record space is preserved. Additionally, if the user returns within the prescribed time period while the record is still in memory, the time to access the record is greatly reduced. As shown in FIG. 5, once a user session ends, the record is cached and a first time period begins where the system waits to see if the user returns. Typically, this first time period is approximately 1 hour. If the user returns during this time period, the system monitors the user's activity until the user's session ends again. If the user does not return, the system predicts if the user will return during a second time period, typically 24 hours. If the user will not likely return during the prescribed time period, the record is written to the database. If the user will likely return, the record is stored in memory. During this time period, the user's return is monitored. If the user returns, the session continues until of the new session or, after the prescribed time period, the record is written to the database and the memory is cleared.

In the preferred embodiment, to conserve data storage requirements, records are saved to a partition. In this manner, when a set of records are to be deleted, the partition corresponding to the set of records to be deleted is cleared. Preferably, the partitions are sorted by date and are erased every 30 days.

Heuristics are employed to estimate which follow up records will be accessed more frequently, and estimate the likelihood that a visitor will return to the site within the next 24 hours. In this way, records are readily accessible to the system. If a record will not be accessed within 24 hours, it is written to the database. For efficient database updating, write requests are buffered so that multiple follow up records are stored to the database in one operation. Once record expires, it is preferably removed from the database. Finally, read requests are buffered such that the server performs read operations only at a certain rate, for example not more frequently than 5 times per second.

The present invention may be described herein in terms of functional block components, code listings, optional selections and various processing steps. It should be appreciated that such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, the present invention may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.

Similarly, the software elements of the present invention may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as C, C++, C#, Java, COBOL, assembler, PERL, or the like, with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines or other programming elements.

Further, it should be noted that the present invention may employ any number of conventional techniques for data transmission, signaling, data processing, network control, and the like.

It should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Indeed, for the sake of brevity, conventional data networking, application development and other functional aspects of the systems (and components of the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or virtual couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical or virtual connections may be present in a practical electronic data communications system.

As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a method, a data processing system, a device for data processing, and/or a computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely software embodiment, an entirely hardware embodiment, or an embodiment combining aspects of both software and hardware. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in the storage medium. Any suitable computer-readable storage medium may be utilized, including hard disks, CD-ROM, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, and/or the like.

The present invention is described below with reference to block diagrams and flowchart illustrations of methods, apparatus (e.g., systems), and computer program products according to various aspects of the invention. It will be understood that each functional block of the block diagrams and the flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, respectively, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the function specified in the flowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.

Accordingly, functional blocks of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each functional block of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by either special purpose hardware-based computer systems that perform the specified functions or steps, or suitable combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

One skilled in the art will also appreciate that, for security reasons, any databases, systems, or components of the present invention may consist of any combination of databases or components at a single location or at multiple locations, wherein each database or system includes any of various suitable security features, such as firewalls, access codes, encryption, de-encryption, compression, decompression, and/or the like.

The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given herein. For example, the steps recited in any method claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented in the claims. Moreover, no element is essential to the practice of the invention unless specifically described herein as “critical” or “essential.”

In the specification, the term “media” means any medium that can record data therein. The term “media” includes, for instance, a disk shaped media for such as CD-ROM (compact disc-read only memory), magneto optical disc or MO, digital video disc-read only memory or DVD-ROM, digital video disc-random access memory or DVD-RAM, a floppy disc, a memory chip such as random access memory or RAM, read only memory or ROM, erasable programmable read only memory or E-PROM, electrical erasable programmable read only memory or EE-PROM, a rewriteable card-type read only memory such as a smart card, a magnetic tape, a hard disc, and any other suitable means for storing a program therein.

A recording media storing a program for accomplishing the above mentioned apparatus maybe accomplished by programming functions of the above mentioned apparatuses with a programming language readable by a computer or processor, and recording the program on a media such as mentioned above.

A server equipped with a hard disk drive may be employed as a recording media. It is also possible to accomplish the present invention by storing the above mentioned computer program on such a hard disk in a server and reading the computer program by other computers through a network.

As a computer processing device, any suitable device for performing computations in accordance with a computer program may be used. Examples of such devices include a personal computer, a laptop computer, a microprocessor, a programmable logic device, or an application specific integrated circuit.

While this invention has been described by reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that numerous changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims. 

1. A method for follow up management comprising: reading a cookie; determining if an unexpired repository record corresponding to the cookie exists; retrieving the unexpired repository record; extracting information from the repository record associated with the user; and acting on the extracted information stored in the repository record.
 2. The method for follow up management of claim 1, further comprising; extracting an expiration date from the cookie; determining if the expiration date is met; retrieving the unexpired repository record if the expiration date is not met; and erasing at least one expired repository record.
 3. The method for follow up management of claim 2, further comprises; verifying the unexpired repository record is associated with a user.
 4. The method for follow up management of claim 2, wherein acting on the extracted information includes setting system variables.
 5. The method for follow up management of claim 2, wherein acting on the extracted information includes modifying a user's experience.
 6. The method for follow up management of claim 2, further comprising; evaluating a user's activity; generating a revised follow up instruction based on the user's activity; and storing the revised follow up instruction.
 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the follow-up instruction is stored based on a deletion characteristic.
 8. The method for follow up management of claim 6, wherein the follow up instruction is generated based on at least one event.
 9. The method of claim 7, further comprising: erasing at least one follow-up instruction based on the deletion characteristic.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the deletion instruction is a dated database partition.
 11. A method for follow up management comprising: retrieving a repository record; determining if the repository record is unexpired; extracting instructions from the unexpired repository record; and performing the instructions wherein the repository record is retrieved on a follow up date.
 12. The method for follow up management of claim 11, further comprising: erasing expired instructions.
 13. The method for follow up management of claim 11, wherein the instructions are chosen from the group consisting of email user, call user, send user a letter and send user a fax.
 14. A user data structure for follow up management having a plurality of fields, comprising: a first field including a used identifier; and a second field including an expiration date for a stored record.
 15. A data record having a plurality of fields, said data record comprising: a first field including a user identifier; a second field including an expiration date of the record; a third field containing an action date; and a fourth field containing an action instruction.
 16. The data of claim 15, further comprising: a fifth field including a user identifier; and a sixth field including a recovery mode.
 17. The data of claim 15, wherein the action instruction includes at least one instruction chosen from the group consisting of email user, call user, send user a letter, display a pop-up message, set system variable, and send user a fax.
 18. A system for follow up management comprising: receiving means for reading a cookie; calculating means for determining if an unexpired repository record exists; a retriever for retrieving the unexpired repository record; an extractor for extracting information from the repository record associated with the user; and enabling means for performing follow up instructions stored in the repository record.
 19. A system for follow up management, the system comprising: a microprocessor programmed to: read a cookie; determine if an unexpired repository record exists; retrieve the unexpired repository record; extract information from the repository record associated with the user; and perform follow up instructions stored in the repository record.
 20. The microprocessor programmed of claim 19 further programmed to: extract an expiration date from the cookie; determine if the expiration date is met; and retrieve the unexpired repository record if the expiration date is not met.
 21. A system for managing online interaction comprising: a business rules engine; a follow up repository; and a follow up engine, wherein the business rules engine processes, in real-time, the online interaction and determines a follow up action; the follow up repository is a data repository for storing the follow up action; and the follow up engine initiates the follow up action.
 22. The system for managing online interaction of claim 21, wherein the follow up repository is a database.
 23. The system for managing online interaction of claim 21, wherein the business rules engine is a programmed microprocessor.
 24. The system for managing online interaction of claim 21, wherein the follow up engine is a programmed microprocessor. 